by Tony Santaella, WLTX-TV, Columbia, S.C.

Darlington County sheriff's deputies arrested Hope Hawkins of Hartsville, S.C., on Thursday, a day after her children ages 10 months to 4 years old were found dead from smoke inhalation in a closet in a bedroom after her kitchen caught fire.

She did not arrive at home until firefighters arrived at the scene and put out the fire, investigators said. It took firefighters less than 10 minutes to put out the fire.

Hawkins was first charged with one count of unlawful neglect of a child Thursday. Hours later, Sheriff Wayne Byrd added three more counts of that charge. On Friday, Hawkins was charged with four counts of homicide by child abuse.